Type: Press

Labour Party TD for Wexford Brendan Howlin has called for a general insurance indemnity against Covid-19 related claims, using the State Claims Agency, to help get Ireland back to work and save jobs. Insurance companies are refusing to provide cover for COVID-19 related claims, and far too many businesses won’t be able to reopen because…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has said the usage of school data or ‘school profiling’ in the calculation of Leaving Certificate grades is highly problematic. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “The way in which school data will be used in the calculation grades as per the guidelines on calculated/predicted grades published by the Department…

Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said serious questions remain over the governance of the proposed new National Maternity Hospital and has called for all correspondence to be published regarding the proposed transfer of the land. Deputy Kelly said: “Since 2016, I have been calling for clarity on the ownership of…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on the Minister for Education to publish the health and legal advice concerning the cancellation of the Leaving Certificate. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “Following yesterday’s announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills that the Leaving Cert is going to be cancelled in 2020 in favour…

Labour’s Employment spokesperson, Ged Nash TD, has welcomed the announcement by government of new protocols which will be introduced to protect workers, workplaces and customers and help limit the risks of Covid-19 transmission at work. Deputy Nash said: “As the economy begins a slow, phased reopening, its success will depend on the action we take…

The group of Labour Councillors on Limerick City and County Council have written to the Minister for Justice to highlight concerns about the potential spread of Covid-19 in Direct Provision Centres in Limerick. Cllr Conor Sheehan who wrote the letter on behalf of the group said: “We have decided to write to the Minister after…

Labour Senator Annie Hoey said the large outbreak of 164 Covid-19 cases in nineteen Direct Provision centres shows the urgent need for change in accommodation standards, and that the Department of Justice response has been too little too late, failing asylum seekers. Senator Hoey said: “We now know there are at least 164 confirmed cases…

Labour Party Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, has said there is a need for urgent answers today from the Minister for Education and the Taoiseach on the follow on impact of cancelling the Leaving Cert, and said that students, parents and teachers need legal certainty on the Plan B. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “If…

Families entitled to know the truth and have full disclosure on Covid-19 outbreak at Louth nursing home Louth TD Ged Nash has said an urgent and time-limited investigation must be carried out by HIQA to establish the circumstances that led to the deaths of over 20 residents at Dealgan House Nursing Home in Dundalk. Deputy…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Seán Sherlock TD, has called on the Minister to clarify the situation surrounding Garda vetting for childcare workers under its home-based scheme for healthcare staff. Deputy Sherlock said:  “I am concerned that the Government’s scheme is becoming mired in obstacles just ten days out from the scheduled start…

Labour Education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said tonight that if the Leaving Cert is to be cancelled tomorrow by the Fine Gael Cabinet we will need firm answers immediately on the legality of a Plan B that includes predictive grading. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “I’ve been calling for a Plan B on the Leaving Cert…

Speaking in the Dáil today on Brexit statements, Brendan Howlin TD raised the urgent need for a cross community campaign to secure an extension on the Brexit negotiation period. Deputy Howlin said: “With no sign of any progress on a Brexit deal between the EU and the UK, and huge public resources committed to tackling…

Labour Party Senator Rebecca Moynihan has called on the Government to provide certainty on the future timeline and levels of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and other extraordinary support payments, and repeated the Labour Party call for income certainty for workers who have lost their jobs. Senator Moynihan said: “The Labour Party has been crystal clear…

Responding to reports that childcare providers who take part in the Government’s at-home childcare scheme for healthcare workers won’t be covered for COVID-related insurance claims, Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Seán Sherlock TD said: “This is an issue that needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency, 11 days out from when…

Labour Employment spokesperson Ged Nash, responding to comments of Fine Gael Ministers in the Irish Examiner today said it is untenable for the Government to walk away from a long standing pay deal when public servants are on the frontline of our effort to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, and the cost is already accounted for…

Highlighting the serious threat of COVID-19 to the operation of justice, Labour’s spokesperson, Seán Sherlock TD, has called on the Government to urgently bring forward a plan to support the reopening of the Courts Service in a way that respects public health guidelines. Deputy Sherlock said: “There is no mention in the Government’ COVID-19 plan…

Labour spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Seán Sherlock TD, has called for a detailed plan to be put in place for the reopening of crèches and childcare settings for all workers over the coming weeks. Deputy Sherlock put the issue to the Children’s Minister during statements in the Dáil this evening. Deputy Sherlock said:…

Labour Education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD, has criticised the Minister for Education for again failing to give certainty to Leaving Cert students. It comes as the sixth meeting of the stakeholder advisory group concluded today with no further details provided to the public on this year’s exam. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “It’s unacceptable that…

Labour spokesperson on Social Protection Ged Nash TD has called for assurances for workers that their income supports will continue until sectors are fully reopened, after the Minister for Finance failed to commit to maintaining it. Deputy Nash said: “Speaking on Morning Ireland the Minister for Finance failed to give any certainty on future income…

Reacting to the German constitutional court’s ruling on the European Central Bank’s (ECB) quantitative easing programme Brendan Howlin TD, warned that this ruling could undermine the ECB’s €750 billion Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP). Deputy Howlin said: “In October 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the ECB’s bond-buying programme, funded through quantitative…

Labour Party Senator, Rebecca Moynihan, has called on the Minister for Education to provide clarity on the Home-Based July Provision scheme for parents of children with additional needs. The ‘July Provision’ scheme provides funding for additional educational supports for children with a severe or profound general learning disability or children with autism. Senator Moynihan said:…

Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has repeated his call for the Government to provide the winter flu vaccine for free to all citizens this year. Deputy Kelly said: “If the Government are serious about helping stop the spread of the flu this winter they should make the flu vaccine free for…

Labour Senator Annie Hoey, and former President of USI said the collapse in revenue from overseas students must be a wake-up call for the sector as it bids for a rescue package, as what is needed now is future certainty on third level funding. Senator Hoey said: “The Irish Universities Association is seeking a €230…

Private hospital capacity must be put to use now says Labour Leader. Launch public awareness campaign now to encourage people to come forward and be treated With warnings of an ‘apocalyptic’ surge in hospital waiting lists as the Covid-19 pandemic becomes more controlled, Labour Party Leader Alan Kelly TD has called for a massive public…